


My Neighbour's Cat

by Pokeluv101



Category: Servamp (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-12
Updated: 2017-11-12
Packaged: 2019-02-01 03:42:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12696603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pokeluv101/pseuds/Pokeluv101
Summary: Licht never thought he would get along with his neighbour, Hyde. But he was willing to give him a chance after he learned that he had a cat.





	My Neighbour's Cat

Licht swore to himself when he looked through the peephole and saw that it was his neighbour, Hyde. It would be an understatement to say that they didn’t get along. Ever since he first moved into the small apartment complex, every one of their interactions had ended in a fight. The man irritated him to no bounds because he insisted on laughing at the fact that he was an angel and pulling silly pranks on him.

“What do you want, Shit Rat?” He demanded as opened the door with a hard glare. Hyde didn’t seem bothered by his scowl so Licht went on. “You better have a good reason for knocking on my door. I’m practising for a concert and I don’t have time for your games.”

“I wanted to see that cute glare of yours.” He replied jokingly and tapped his nose. Licht’s brow twitched and he tried to slam the door close on his hand. He quickly caught the door before he could hurt him though. “Wait, I was just kidding, Lichtan! I do have a reason for coming over like this. Do you think I would come over and risk your violent attacks if I didn’t have to?”

“You do whatever you like. And don’t call me by your silly nicknames as if we’re close.” With a sigh, Licht opened the door for him again and leaned against the door frame. “Why are you here?”

“I know you’re practising for a concert but can you not play your piano for a while?” Licht stepped back and tried to close the door again. But Hyde expected that would be his answer and placed his foot in the doorway, stopping him. “Look, I know I’m not your favourite person in the world but can you do me a favour and put off playing until everyone’s asleep. Ash runs into the wall whenever he hears you play.”

“Ash?” Licht raised a brow at the unfamiliar name. He thought Hyde lived alone and that he was single because he never saw him bring anyone into his home. He didn’t understand why he felt a little jealous.

“My brother, Kuro, is away on a trip and he asked me to take care of his cat for the next week. That would be Ash. The cat’s pretty dumb and he runs into a wall whenever he hears your piano. He probably wanted to hear your song better and think he could break down the wall.” Hyde explained. “You can play your piano a little later or you can go somewhere else to practise, can’t you?”

“You have a cat? I want to see him!” His eyes widened with wonder and Hyde was surprised by Licht’s expression because he had never seen it before. Licht pushed him aside and rushed to Hyde’s apartment. He thought that he would only speak to Licht for a short time so he left the door unlocked and he was able to enter Hyde’s apartment easily.

His smile widened when he spotted the black cat scratching at the wall between their apartments. Licht didn’t waste any time running to the cat and tried to pick him up. He was a little shocked when the cat scurried away from him and went to Hyde. His brows furrowed when the cat let Hyde pick him up without any resistance. Why would a cat prefer a demon over an angel?

“Don’t pout, Angel Cakes. Ash’s pretty shy so it’ll take a while for him to trust you. He likes music so maybe you can win him over with your piano.” Hyde began to hum and the cat purred. His voice had a nice timber and Licht couldn’t blame the cat for being fooled by the demon. But that was all the more reason to take the cat away from him.

“Let me hold Mr. Cat. He’ll sense my angelic light and trust me immediately.” Licht moved to his side and held out his hands for the cat. Instead of giving him the cat, Hyde ruffled his hair playfully.

“You must really like cats but I already told you that this little guy is a shy one. You’re coming on a little strong and that’s making him nervous. It’ll take time for him to trust you.” Hyde could see the disappointment in his eyes. He nudged his chin up and gave him a smirk. His smile intrigued Licht even though he knew he should be wary of Hyde. “How about we make a deal?”

“What kind of deal?” Licht asked cautiously. Even though he knew better to make a deal with a demon, he had to admit that he was curious about Hyde.

“How about you let me and Mr. Cat come over while you practise? You’ll get to play with him and I won’t have to worry about him headbutting the wall whenever you practise.” Hyde suggested and Licht tilted his head as he considered the idea. He was hoping that Licht would agree because he wanted to get to know the man better. They would always end up fighting whenever he tried to talk to him.

“Do you want to hear me play, Mr. Cat?” He asked softly.

“ _Meow, Mr. Cat would luuuv to. Mr. Cat wants to watch an angel play his piano_.” Hyde replied in a high pitched voice. He took the cat’s paw and waved it at Licht. Despite himself, Licht laughed at the silly voice he used. He couldn’t stop himself from playing along and shaking the cat’s paw.

“We can play after I finish playing too. I start practise at noon so don’t be late, Shit Rat.” Licht told him as he stood up straighter. He wanted to play with the cat more but he wanted to prepare his apartment for the cat’s arrival as well. In his mind, he made a list of things he could buy for Mr. Cat. For the first time, Licht smiled at Hyde. “See you then.”

* * *

“I told you not to touch anything!” He screamed and threw a vase at Hyde. He easily caught it and set it on the table with a grin. Licht told himself to ignore his teasing smile and focus on playing for Mr. Cat. A soft melody soon filled the small apartment as he played. Ash would move closer to him while he played but every time he tried to pet, it would run back to Hyde. He sighed heavily and then returned to his piano.

Hyde reached down and gave the black cat a small pat to calm it before he went back to exploring the room. It was far from what he was expecting from a famous pianist. The walls were lined with photos and he could easily tell that Licht valued them more than his trophies. He was also playing a small upright piano rather than a grand piano like he envisioned.

He found that there were a lot of unexpected things about Licht. He certainly never thought that he would love cats so much. There were small toys littering the living room that he obviously bought the previous day for Ash. Licht also had several stuff animals on his couch so he guessed he liked animals in general. He knew that he had a sweet tooth as well because there was a bowl of candy on the kitchen counter.

When his landlord told him that a famous pianist was moving into the vacant apartment next to him, he wasn’t expecting someone like Licht. Since the first day he moved in, he surprised him. Each new thing he learned about him was unorthodox but strangely charming as well.

Hyde scooped Ash into his arms and sat next to Licht on the piano bench. It was a little small for both of them and Licht was about to push him off the chair. He stopped when Hyde placed the cat on his lap. The cat started to crawl back to him but settled itself on Licht’s lap when Hyde scratched his ears. “Let him smell your hand. It’ll help him become familiar with you.”

Licht placed his hand in front of the cat. After a moment, it began to lick his hand and he could barely contain the excitement in his eyes. He petted the cat and it rolled onto its back for him to rub his stomach. He was only too happy to. Hyde watched the pair with a faint smile and he was glad that he agreed to take care of his brother’s cat.

“Hey, Lichtan, how about we have dinner? It’s almost six and I’m pretty hungry. I’m sure you and Ash are too.” Hyde stood and he walked to the kitchen. He opened the fridge but it was empty. There were a few things but it wasn’t nearly enough to make a meal. “Hey, did you forget to buy groceries or something?”

“I don’t cook. If you want something to eat, there’s a take out menu on the table.” Licht told him without looking up from the keys. He could feel his confused eyes on him but he ignored him. “But I bought some cat food for Ash. Bring over his food bowl for him to eat.”

“I’ll be right back,” Hyde left the apartment quickly. He was a little relieved that he didn’t ask him any more questions since he fully expected Hyde to tease him over the fact that he couldn’t cook. Licht focused on his piano and Ash fell asleep on his lap. He only looked up when he heard the door open again. Ash woke and jumped off his lap to run to Hyde.

Licht was a little surprised that Hyde brought back more than the food bowl he told him to bring. He also brought ingredients and dumped them onto the counter. He quickly went to work prepping the food and Licht watched him in confusion. “Hey, don’t use someone’s kitchen without asking!”

“Considering that I’m cooking your dinner right now, I think you’ll let me. Ordering take out every night isn’t good for you. I can’t believe that a grown man doesn’t know how to cook.” Hyde chuckled at the glare he gave him. By now, his scowl didn’t scare him and it amused him more than anything. “I’m making Thai basil chicken with eggs so how spicy do you want it?”

“I’m fine with anything.” Licht lifted the cat into his arms and walked to the table. He watched him cook as he petted the cat. “I never learned how to cook because I didn’t need to. My family had cooks. During my tour, it was easier to order food because I travelled so much. When I moved in here, my friend Mahiru would bring me something but he’s visiting his uncle right now.”

“Well, for someone that eat out so much, you look pretty good.” Hyde winked at him and Licht’s stomach fluttered for a moment. “How about I make dinner for you until your friend comes back? I’ll cook while you play with Ash.”

“I’ll let you cook for me if you can actually impress me.” He said and Hyde grinned confidently at him.

“Challenge accepted.” Hyde didn’t like to cook in silence so he spoke to Licht as he scrabbled the egg. “You said you had cooks? I remember reading somewhere that your parents were famous musician so you must’ve been raised with a silver spoon in your mouth. Tell me, why did the renowned Licht Jekylland Todoroki move into a small apartment building like this?”

“You looked me up like a stalker?” Licht raised a brow at him. His red eyes shined with curiosity and he found himself answering. “If you must know, I moved here for a change of pace. I wanted to write my own song but nothing sounded quite right to me. My mother suggested I move here and get away from the limelight. She said I might find something that inspires me here.”

While he was famous, he wasn’t well known in Japan. Licht had to admit that he liked the break from interviews and the paparazzi. His days were slower but that gave him more time with his piano.

“So, have you found something that inspires you yet?” From his frustrated expression, Hyde knew his answer. “Don’t make that face. Maybe Ash can even be your muse. It’ll be interesting if you make a song based off his purring. I’m sure you’ll write your song soon. I’ve been listening to you play for the last two weeks and you’re talented.”

“You really are a stalker. Why would your brother leave his precious cat with a demon like you?”

“Hey, I’m plenty responsible and I’m not a stalker! We’re neighbours and the walls are thin so it’s easy for sound to travel.” Hyde pointed out. Then he picked up a piece of chicken with his chopsticks. “Try this and tell me if it’s too spicy for you, Lichtan.”

Licht placed Ash on the ground before he walked to him. He tried to take the chopsticks from him but he playfully held it out of his reach. There was a playful gleam in his red eyes. Was he trying to feed him? While Licht blushed heavily at the thought, he decided that it was best to get the entire thing over with. He opened his mouth and ate the chicken he held out to him.

“This is actually good!” Licht hummed. He took another pair of chopsticks and picked a chicken out of the skillet. “Delicious.”

“Does this mean I get to cook for you from now on?” Hyde smirked at him.

* * *

“It’s great that you have someone to cook for you now, Licht. I don’t have to worry about you forgetting to eat the meals I drop off.” Mahiru said excitedly over the phone. He called Mahiru to tell him that he didn’t need to bring him food because Hyde was going to cook for him. “I’m kinda surprised that you let him cook for you when you’ve complained about him so much.”

“He had a cat.” Licht said simply and Mahiru burst into laughter.

“Well, that explains it.” Mahiru said after he was able to compose himself. But Licht could tell that he was still trying to stifle a few giggles. He wasn’t offended by his reaction though. They had spent every night together for the past week and Licht was enjoying their time together more than he thought he would. It was more than the cat and good food. He enjoyed Hyde’s company and he made him laugh.

Licht was looking forward to their dinner tonight and he went out to buy groceries. He also bought more toys for Ash. It was ironic that they hated each other so much when he first moved into the apartment. They still bickered occasionally but he always ended up laughing with him.

“I was a little worried about you while I was on my trip so I’m glad that everything went well and you made a new friend. Actually, I met someone too. He was a funny guy. I ran into him while I was visiting my uncle. He was trying to get a cat out of a tree. But he ended up stuck himself and I had to rescue them both in the end. He said he had a pet cat so he could never leave a stray in need. Isn’t that sweet?” Mahiru told him in a giddy voice.

Licht paused when he turned the corner of the hall and saw Hyde speaking with a man. He didn’t recognize the man and wondered who he was. It seemed like they were arguing and Licht knew that it must’ve been a private conversation. He quickly hid behind the corner and wondered what they were arguing about. “I’m sorry, Mahiru, I’ll call you back.”

He ended the call and strained his ears to hear their conversation. He recognized Hyde’s voice. “Can’t you let me take care of Ash for one more night, Kuro? Just one more night! Without him, he won’t let me come over anymore. At least give me the opportunity to talk to him one more time and ask him out properly.”

“Hyde, you can’t use my cat as some way to get this guy to date you. From what you told me over the phone, he likes you well enough so just ask him out. He’ll say yes. No guy spends his nights with someone just because he likes their cat.” The other man pointed out and it was easy to tell that they were speaking about him. “Don’t worry too much or you’ll psyche yourself out. You got this.”

“Of course, you’d say that! You’re my brother.” Hyde pouted at him and Kuro chuckled. He had always been one for dramatics since they were children.

“And brothers don’t lie to each other.” Kuro messed up his hair affectionately. “I need to get Ash home but I’ll call you later to check on you. Ask your angel out.”

Licht heard the door close and footsteps approach him. He quickly tried to appear casual so he wouldn’t be caught eavesdropping on the two. From the corner of his eyes, he saw that it was the stranger walking past him. In his arms, Ash meowed at Licht and reached out his paws toward him. Licht couldn’t stop himself from waving to the cat.

Kuro raised a brow at how familiarly the cat acted towards the man when it was usually wary of strangers. He stopped and glanced at the man. When their eyes met, the pieces fell into place for Kuro and he faced him. “Hyde’s a good guy even if he’s a little over the top. I can’t tell you to do anything but can you give him a chance?”

He walked away before he could reply and Licht looked down at the bags in his hands. They didn’t have a reason to visit each other anymore. Ash was back with his owner so they didn’t have to worry about him running into the wall. Mahiru had returned and he could cook for him again. Even though those thoughts crossed his mind, Licht found himself in front of Hyde’ door.

Hyde answered shortly after he knocked and Licht didn’t know which one of them was more surprised. “You’re back already, Lichtan? Umm… If you came to see Ash, he’s not here. My brother came home early and he took Ash home. I’m really sorry, I know how much you like that cat.”

An awkward silence fell between them and they could both feel the tension in the air. Hyde waited for his reaction and he fully expected him to leave. So, he was surprised when Licht ducked under his arm and walked into the apartment. He placed his bags on the kitchen counter and began to take out the food he bought. “Lichtan, Ash isn’t here.”

“I heard you the first time.” Licht said.

“Then why are you here?” He asked hesitantly and Licht looked unsure himself.

“I want wiener schnitzel tonight. Start cooking,” He ordered and turned to face Hyde. He still didn’t move from the doorway so Licht went on. “Mahiru came home today. I told him he didn’t need to bring me anything because I had you to cook for me. If you don’t want to have dinner with me anymore, I’ll just go home and order pizza or something.”

“I’ll get that wiener schnitzel ready right now!” Hyde quickly ran to his side. When Licht would’ve sat down, he placed a hand on his arm to stop him. “For tomorrow, how about we go out to eat? We can catch a movie afterwards too. There’s a new movie out in theaters and I think you would like it.”

“If your cooking can impress me, it’s a date.”

**Author's Note:**

> Wow, this came out much longer than I intended it to but this was a fun little AU


End file.
